Folding mechanism



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR i; ATTORN May 3, 1932. c. s. CRAFTS FOLDINGMECHANISM Filed April 8, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 3, 1932; c. s.cRAr-'Ts I 1,857,114

FOLDING MEcHANlsM Filed April s, 195o 5 sheets-sheet :s

ATTORN May 3, 1932- c. s. CRAFTS 1,857,114

FOLDING MECHANISM Filed April 8, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR yC. S.CRAFTS May 3, 1932.

Filed April 8, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNE Patented May 3,1932 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE CURTIS S. CRAFTS, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO GOSS PRINTING PRESS COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOISFOLDING MECHANISM Application led April 8, 1930. Serial N'o. 442,586.

The present invention relates to rotary folding mechanisms, and moreparticularly to rotary folding mechanisms for use in connection withhigh-speed rotary printing presses such as are commonly employed in theproduction of newspapers.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypractice with the invention, the same being realized and attained b vmeans of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts,

construction arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shownand described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and

together with the description, serve to eX- plain the principles of theinvention.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the present preferred embodiment ofthe invention, and is taken on the line 1 1 of Figure 3a.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken near the other side of the pressand on the line 2 2 of Figure 3, certain of the parts being broken away,and others being omitted for clearness.

Figures 3 and 3a are horizontal fragmentary sections taken on the line3-3 of Figure 1, each ligure showing one end of the folding mechanism.

Figures 4 and 5 are diagrammatic vertical sections through the foldingmechanism, showingr the folding mechanism in its operative andinoperative, or choke-releasing positions respectively.

Figure 6 is a detailed fragmentary section taken on the line 6-6 ofFigure 2.

Figure 7 is a detailed perspective showing the eccentric means forvarying the position of one of the folding rollers of the presentembodiment.

Figure S is a detailed plan view showing a shear pin for use in thepresent embodiment of the invention.

The present invention has for its object the provision of novel foldingmechanism having means for automatically releasing the folding rollerswhen the folding mechanism becomes choked, thereby permitting thefolding rollers to be moved to inoperative and choke-releasing position,as well as means permitting the rollers to be so moved at other timeswhen desired. The invention also provides a folding mechanism in whichthe rollers can be quickly and easily restored to their originaladjusted position after being moved to inoperative and choke-releasingposition, thereby avoiding the necessity of minutely adjusting thefolding rollers after the release of a choke. The invention has for afurther object the provision of novel sheet guiding means` cooperatingwith the folding cylinder for retaining the sheets on the foldingcylinder, which do not interfere with the removal of a choked fold fromthe folding rollers. Still another object of the invention is theprovision of novel means for .supporting the folding rollers in foldingpositions and for minutelv and variably positioning the folding rollersrelative to each other to space them from each other to accomodate thefolding rollers to the wide variations in the thickness of the groups ofsheets which must be folded bv folding mechanism of printing presseswhere the size of the newspaper produced often varies from 16 to 64 ormore pages. The invention also provides novel means for moving thefolding rollers out of parallelism to each other.

In the present preferred and illustrative embodiment of the invention,which is shown in connection with the usual type of folding cylinderhaving a planetary blade for folding one or more groups of sheetsbetween a pair of folding rollers, the folding rollers are preferablymounted for relative movement toward and from each other, and asembodied, one of the folding rollers is mounted by its ends in springsockets which yieldably press the folding roller towards its mate, andthe spring sockets are mounted on pivoted arms which are movable towardsand away from the folding cylinder. Means are also preferablv providedfor variably and minutely positioning this folding roller relatively tothe other folding roller.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and thefollowing detailed description as Well, will be exemplary andexplanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the present illustrative embodiment of thepresent invention, the folding cylinder may be of conventionalconstruction, such as is shown in the patent to William Evensen1,587,070, and is preferably provided with the usual planetary foldingblades 12 and impaling pins 14, which cooperates with a cutting andcollecting cylinder 15, which may be of conventional construction. Thefolding cylinder is rotatably ournalled in the side frames 16, of thepress by suitable journals and the cutting and collecting cylinder isalso rotatably journalled in the side frames of the press, closely`adjacent to the folding cylinder 10, as is usual.

The folding cylinder 10 carries the sheets which have been cut by thecutting and collecting cylinder 15 and suitable mechanism is providedfor actuating the folding blades 12 on the folding cylinder to fold thesheets from the folding cylinder between the folding rollers 17 and 18which are mounted directly beneath the folding cylinder, as will be morefully described.

Preferably and as shown, one of the folding rollers 18 is rotatablymounted beneath the folding cylinder 10 by arms 21 and 21 at either endof the folding roller, the arms being pivotally mounted on the sideframes 16 of the press by shaft 23 which extends from one side frame ofthe press to the other and on which the arms are firmly secured bysuitable keys.

The other folding roller 17 is preferably yieldably mounted at either ofits ends in spring sockets 25, which are supported at the inner ends ofarms 20 and 20 pivotally mounted by shaft 24 extending between the sideframes of the press and journalled therein. These sockets 25 are alsopreferably provided with means for variably positioning the roller 17with respect to the other folding roller 18 and for this purpose theyare preferably provided with movable wedges 26 variably positioned byhand wheel 27 and threaded shaft 28, which serve to variably positionthe plungers 2:9 in which the ends of the roller are rotatably mounted.The illustrated yieldable mounting for folding roller vided for each endof the folding roller 18 and preferably' the folding rollers arerotatably mounted in these eccentric bushings and the bushings arerotatably mounted in the ends of the pivoted arms 21 and 21. For lockingthe eccentric bushings in the desired position, each bushing may beformed with a plate 31 securely attached to one end of the bushing andmovable therewith, the plate being formed near its end with a curvedslot Screws 33 pass through the slots in the plates 31 and are threadedinto a face 34 on the ends of the pivoted arms 21 and 21 and thesescrews may be tightened to secure the plate and the correspondingbushing in the desired position. For guiding the operator in variablypositioning the folding roller 18 and for enabling him to determinewhether the rollers are parallel or not, or to what extent they are outof parallel, each plate is preferably formed with an indicating pointer36 coperating with suitable markings 37 on the side face of the end ofthe supporting arms.

According to the present invention, means are preferably provided forinsuring the retention of large groups of sheets on the folding cylinderand for preventing the sheets being combed off as the sheets are fedpast the folding rollers prior to being folded between said rollers, andfor this purpose there are preferably provided relatively narrow shoesor guides 40, spaced from each other along the length of the foldingcylinder and mounted on the shafts 23 and 24 which support the rollersup-porting arms 20 20, 21 and 21. As embodied, these guides arepreferably provided with a curved face, concentric with the foldingcylinder when they are in operative position, and are spaced a slightdistance from the surface of the folding cylinder 10, a sufficient spacebeing provided between the folding cylinder and the guides 40 to permitpassage of the sheets to be folded. Guides 40y are preferably securelyL' fastened to shafts 23 and 24 by suitable means, such as set screws41, and are movable towards and away from the folding cylinder bymovement of the shafts 23 and 24 and folding rollers 17 and 18.

For lilniting the movement of the roller supporting arms 20, 20', 21 and21 toward and away from the folding cylinder, the outer ends of thesupporting arms are preferably provided with slots 45, through which capscrews 46 are threaded into the side framesI 16 of the press, but thesescrews are not tightened onto the supporting arms. Preferably and, asembodied, the cap screws 46 are at the extreme upper ends of the slot-swhen the folding rollers are in operative position, and the lower endsof the slots limit thrdownward movement of the folding rollers 17 and 18when they are moved to inoperative or choke-releasing position.

For holding the folding rollers in operative position during the normaloperation of the folding mechanism, and for automatically releasing thearms and moving the folding rollers to non-folding or choke-releasingposition each of the arms 20, 20', 21 and 21, is formed with an aperturenear its outer end, provided With a bushing 48, the aperture of whichregisters with the aperture of a similar bushing 49 in the side frame 16of the press. Shear-pins 50, having a reduced portion 51 intermediatetheir ends, are inserted in these bushings and hold the arms 20, 20', 21and 21 and folding rollers in folding or operative position during thenormal operation of the press, but when the folding rollers becomechoked, the shear-pins 50 are sheared at 51 and automatically drop thearms, folding rollers and guides 40 to inoperative position, therebypreventing damage to the press parts, and positioning the parts so thatthe choked fold can be easily and quickly removed. Preferably, and asshown in the illustrative embodiment, the reduced portion 51 of theshear-pins is positioned in line with the contacting faces of thesupporting arms and the press frame 16, as clearly shown in Figure 7.

Means are preferably provided for retaining the shear-pins in place, andfor this purpose, each pin is preferably formed with a circumferentialgroove 52 near its outer end which cooperates with a latch 53, pivotallymounted on the arms 20, 20 and 21, 21 by means of screw 54. Theselatches securely retain the shear-pins in position and allow their readyremoval or replacement.

In case the choke is relatively small. and of insufficient magnitude tocause the shearing of the pins, the pins 50 may be easily removed byremoving the outer bushing 48 with the shear pin 50, thereby droppingthe folding rollers and releasing the choked fold.

After a choke has occurred and the shearpins have been replaced. it isobvious that no adjustment of the folding rollers is necessary, as thereplacement of the shear-pin insures the accurate positioning of thefolding rollers in the same position they occupied before the choke.

For driving the folding rollers during the operation of the foldingmechanism. the folding cylinder 10 is preferably provided with a largegear 60 mounted at one end of the folding cylinder shaft 61, whichmeshes with a pinion 62 mounted on the end of the shaft for foldingroller 17. and also meshes with a pinion 68Ymounted on a stub-shaft 64rotatably `iournalled in the side frame 16 of the press and in a bracket65 supported on the side frame, and carrying a gear 66 which meshes withand drives the pinion 67 on the end of the shaft for folding roller 18.In this wai,v movement of pinion 67, as the arms are dropped toinoperative position, is substantially tangential to the gear and thepinion 67 can be easily moved into and out of mesh with the gear 66.Pinion 62 moves substantially tangential to the gear 60 as the foldingroller 17 moves back and forth in its yielding` support, or as it ismoved toward and away from the other folding roller, and is maintainedin good driving relation with the gear 63 on the folding cylinder shaft6l during the folding operation.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificmechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefromwithin the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from theprinciples of the invention and without sacrificing its chiefadvantages.

That I claim is 1. A folding mechanism including in combination afolding cylinder, a pair of folding rollers, means carried by saidcylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and aneccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variablypositioning one of the rollers.

2. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and aneccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variablypositioning one of the rollers.

3. A folding mechanism including in conibination a folding cylinder, apair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding saidrollers unyielding and adjacent to the folding cylinder andautomatically releasing said rollers under excessive strains to move therollers away from the folding cylinder.

4. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers andmeans normally holding said rollers adliacent to the folding cylinderand automatically permitting free movement of said rollers independentlyof each other under excessive strains to move the rollers away from thefolding cylinder.

5. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers. means for variably positioning each of said rollersindependently of the other means for folding a group of sheets betweensaid rollers and means normally holding said rollers adjacent to saidcylinder but automatically permitting free movement of them on chokedfolds.

6. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder. apair of folding rollers, means carried hy said cilinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers. pivoted arms at either end of saidrollers. pins for each arm normally holding said rollers in foldingrelation but releasing said rollers on choked folds.

T. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers,pivoted arms at either' end of said rollers, pins normally holding saidrollers in folding` relation but independently releasing said rollers onchoked folds.

8. A folding mechanism includinf in combination a folding cylinder. apair or folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder' for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers, means for moving the foldingrollers toward and away from the folding cylinder' and guides mounted wih said rollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with saidrollers.

9. A folding mechanism including in coinbination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets l'etween said rollers,means for moving the folding rollers4 toward and away from the foldingAcylinder` and guides mounted w'th said rollers-i and adapted to be movedaway from said cylinder with said rollers.

l0. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder. apair' of folding rollers. means carried by said cylinder' for folding` agroup of sheets between said rollers, means for moving the foldingrollers 'toward and away from the folding cylinder, sheet guides mountedwith said rollers and movable toward and from said cylinder with saidrollers.

ll. A foldii'ig mechanism including' in combination a` pair of folding'rollers. means for foldingl a group of sheets between said rollers,means normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder butautomatically releasing said rollers under excessive strains to move therollers a way from the folding cylinder. sheet guides mounted with saidrollers and movable toward and from said cylinder with said rollers.

l2. A folding` mechanisn. including' in combination a pair of foldingrollers, meansy for folding a grou p of sheets oetween said rollers,means normally holding said rollers adjacent to said cylinder butautomatically releasing them on honed folds. guides mounted with saidrollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with saidrollers.

A folding mechanism includ' i; in combina'ion a folding cylinder. a pairof folding rollers. means carried bv said cylinder for folding a groupof between said rollers. mean-- normally holding said rollers adjacentzo said cylinderbnt automatically releasing them on choked folds, sheetguides mounted with said rollers and movable toward and from saidcylinder with said rollers.

lll. A folding mech arism including' in combination a folding cylinder.a pair of ftd-fling rollers. means carried by sgml cv 'n cr for foldinga group of s eets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either end ofsaid rollers,

shear pins normally holding said rollers in folding relation andreleasing said rollers on choked folds and guides mounted with saidrollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with saidrollers.

15. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, apair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting for one ofsaid folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers, meansnormally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder butautomatically releasing said rollers under excessive strains to move therollers away from the folding cylinder' and guides mounted with saidrollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with saidrollers.

16. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, aneccentric bushing at one end of one folding roller for moving thefolding roller, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, shear pinsnormally holding said rollers in foldingr relation and releasing saidrollers on choked folds, and sheet guides mounted with said rollers andmovable toward and from said cylinder with said rollers.

17. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, aneccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variablypositioning one of the rollers. means normally holding said rollersadjacent to said cylinder but automatically releasing them on chokedfolds and sheet guides mounted with said rollers and movable toward andfrom said cylinder' with said rollers.

18. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder. apair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting for one ofsaid folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers. one ofsaid rollers being yieldably mounted.

19. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and aneccentric bushing at one end of one folding roller for moving thefolding roller, one of said rollers being vieldably mounted.

:20. A folding mechanism including' in combination a pair of foldingrollers. means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers andmeans normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder butautomatically permitting free movement of said rollers independently ofeach other under excessive strains to move the rollers away from thefolding cylinder, one of said rollersI being yieldably mounted.

21. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, apair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding saidrollers adjacent to said cylinder but automatically permitting freemovement of them independently of each other on choked folds, one ofsaid rollers being yieldably mounted.

22. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder', apair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting for one ofsaid folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers,pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, shear pins normally holdingsaid rollers in folding relation and releasing said rollers on chokedfolds and guides mounted with said rollers and adapted to be moved awayfrom said cylinder with said rollers, one of said rollers beingyieldably mounted.

23. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, aneccentric bushing at one end of one folding roller for moving thefolding roller, means normally holding said rollers adjacent to saidcylinder but automatically releasing them on choked folds, sheet guidesmounted with said rollers and movable toward and from said cylinder withsaid rollers and means for driving said folding rollers in foldingrelation.

24. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, meansfor variably spacing the folding rollers, means normally holding saidrollers adjacent to the folding cylinder but automatically releasingsaid rollers under excessive strains to move the rollers away from thefolding cylinder and guides mounted with said rollers and adapted to bemoved away from said cylinder with said rollers, one of said rollersbeing yieldably mounted.

25. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, aneccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variablypositioning one of the rollers, means normally holding said rollersadjacent to the folding cylinder but automatically releasing saidrollers under excessive strains to move the rollers away from thefolding cylinder and guides mounted with said rollers and adapted to bemoved away from said cylinder with said rollers, one of said rollersbeing yieldably mounted, and means for driving said folding rollers infolding relation.

26. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder', apair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting for one ofsaid folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers, andmeans indicating the position of the variably positionable roller.

27. A folding mechanism including in coml ination a folding cylinder, apair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting` for one ofsaid folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers, andmeans indicating the movement of the eccentric, and the position of theroller mounted therein.

28. A folding mechanism includingin combination a pair of normallyparallel folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets betweensaid rollers, and an eccentric bushing at one end of one folding rollerfor moving the folding rollers out of parallelism.

29. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of normallyparallel folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets betweensaid rollers, an eccentric bushing at one end of one folding roller formoving the folding rollers out of parallelism, and means indicating' thedeparture of the rollers from parallelism.

30. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers,pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, and means carried on saidpivoted arms for simultaneously moving both ends of one roller to spacethe rollers.

3l. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers,pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, roller spacing means at theends of a roller and a common actuating means carried by. said arms foroperating said spacing means 1n unison.

32. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers,pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, roller spacing means at theends of a roller and a shaft, journalled in said arms, and forming acommon actuating means for said spacing means.

33. A folding mechanism combination a pair of folding rollers, means forfolding a group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at eitherend of said rollers, roller spacing means at the ends of a roller, ashaft, journalled in said arms, and connected to actuate said spacingmeans and means for moving one end of one roller independently of theother.

34. A folding mechanism combination a pair of folding rollers, means forfolding al group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at eitherend of said rollers, and roller spacing means at the ends of a roller, ashaft, journalled in said including in including in arms, and connectedto actuate said spacing means, means for moving one end of one rollerindependently of the other, and means for indicating the extent ofdeparture from the normal parallel relation of said rollers.

35. A folding mechanism, including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers,pivoted arms in which said rollers are rotatably mounted at their endsand removable pins normally holding said rollers individually in foldingrelation, but permitting said rollers to be moved away from each other.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CURTIS S. CRAFTS.

DISCLAIMER 1,857,ll4.-0urtis S. (7i-offs, (lak Park, lll. ForniNoA\liliznANnsavI. Patent dated May 3, 1932. Disclaimer filed December l,1934, by the assignee, The Goss Printing Press (lomymny.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that part of the claims in saidspecification which are in the following words, lo wit:

3. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, apair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding saidrollers unyielding and adjacent to the folding cylinder andautomatically releasing said rollers under excessive strains to move therollers away from the folding cylinder.

4. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers andmeans normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder andautomatically permitting free movement of said rollers independently ofeach other under excessive strains to move the rollers away from thefolding cylinder."

6. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, apair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either end of saidrollers, pins for each arm normally holding said rollers in foldingrelation but releasing said rollers on choked folds.

7. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers,pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, pins normally holding saidrollers in folding relation but independently releasing said rollers onchoked folds.

20. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers andmeans normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder butautomatically permitting free movement of said rollers independently ofeach other under excessive strains to move the rollers away from thefolding cylinder, one of said rollers being yieldably mounted.

21. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, apair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding agroup of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding saidrollers adjacent to said cylinder but automatically permitting freemovement of them independently of each other on choked folds, one ofsaid rollers being yieldahly mounted.

35. A folding mechanism, including in combination a pair of foldingrollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers,pivoted arms in which said rollers are rotatably mounted. at their endsand removable pins normall holding said rollers individually in foldingrelation, but permitting said rollers to be moved away from each other.

[Ojicz'al Gazette January 1, 1.985.]

